How to Watch Christmas Specials and Movies on TV: 2019 Holiday Viewing Guide

Pour yourself a mug of eggnog and get settled in front of your screen. 'Tis the season for some holiday cheer, and the festive TV takeover tradition is well underway. If you're like us, you'll take all the onscreen merriment you can get, from feel-good cartoon Christmas classics to gushy holiday love stories to those joyful reality competition specials.

To help guide your holiday viewing plans, we combed through the libraries of the leading streaming services as well as the holiday schedules of all the major networks to give you this complete guide to what's available to watch this winter.

Check out the full holiday schedule and streaming offerings below (all times Eastern).

(Disclosure: Links to retailers may earn money to support our work.)

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Netflix

New Originals
Holiday in the Wild
Let It Snow
Klaus(Nov. 15)
The Knight Before Christmas(Nov. 21)
Nailed It! Holiday Season 2 (Nov. 22)
Super Monsters Save Christmas (Nov. 26)
True: Winter Wishes (Nov. 26)
Holiday Rush (Nov. 28)
Merry Happy Whatever Season 1 (Nov. 28)
Sugar Rush Christmas (Nov. 29)
Team Kaylie Part 2 holiday episode (Dec. 2)
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (Dec. 5)
Spirit Riding Free: The Spirit of Christmas (Dec. 6)
Magic for Humans Season 2 holiday episode (Dec. 6)
A Family Reunion Christmas (Dec. 9)
Alexa & Katie Season 3 holiday episode (Dec. 30)

Other
The Christmas Chronicles
Christmas Inheritance
A Christmas Prince
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
Christmas Wedding Planner
Christmas with the Kranks
Christmas with a View
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
The Holiday Calendar
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Mariah Carey's Merriest Christmas
The Princess Switch
The Spirit of Christmas
A Very Murray Christmas
White Christmas

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Hulu

The Christmas Calendar
Christmas Perfection
A Cinderella Christmas
Daddy's Home 2
Girlfriends of Christmas Past
The Holiday
Home by Christmas
Home for the Holidays
Second Chance Christmas

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Amazon

Babes in Toyland
A Christmas Carol in Color!
Doctor Who Christmas specials
If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie
It's a Wonderful Life
Jack Frost (1977)
Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You
Merry Christmas from Funny or Die
A Norman Rockwell Christmas Story

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Disney+

Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)
Home Alone
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Home Alone 3
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Noelle
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Santa Buddies
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
The Santa Clause
The Santa Clause 2
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
The Search for Santa Paws

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ABC

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.)
The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (Nov. 28 at 8 p.m.)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (Dec. 1 at 8 p.m.)
CMA Country Christmas (Dec. 3 at 9 p.m.)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.)
Same Time, Next Christmas(Dec. 5 at 9 p.m.)
The Great Christmas Light Fight(Dec. 2 at 8 p.m., Dec. 9 at 8 p.m., Dec. 16 at 8 p.m.)
Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Dec. 12 at 8 p.m.)
Toy Story That Time Forgot (Dec. 12 at 8:30 p.m.)
The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition (Dec. 12 at 9 p.m., Dec. 19 at 9 p.m., Dec. 26 at 9 p.m., and Jan. 2 at 9 p.m.)
Shrek the Halls (Dec. 17 at 9:30 p.m.)
Disney Prep & Landing(Dec. 19 at 8 p.m.)
Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice (Dec. 19 at 8:30 p.m.)
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.)
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (Dec. 25 at 10 a.m.)
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (Dec. 26 at 8 p.m.)

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AMC

Christmas with the Kranks (Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m., Dec. 1 at 10:30 p.m., Dec 2. at 7 p.m., Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., Dec. 12 at 8 p.m., and Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.)
Elf (Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Dec. 4 at 8 p.m., Dec. 5 at 6 p.m., Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Dec. 10 at 8 p.m., Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Dec. 16 at 8 p.m., Dec. 17 at 6 p.m., Dec. 18 at 8 p.m., Dec. 19 at 6 p.m., Dec. 20 at 8 p.m., Dec. 21 at 6 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 7 p.m.)
Fred Claus (Nov. 27 at 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Dec. 2 at 9 p.m., Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m., Dec. 6 at 10 p.m., Dec. 12 at 10 p.m., Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m., and Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m.)
Four Christmases (Nov. 27 at 7 p.m., Dec. 2 at 11:30 p.m., Dec. 5 at 8 p.m., Dec. 6 at 6 p.m., Dec. 11 at 10:15 p.m., Dec. 19 at 8 p.m., Dec. 20 at 6 p.m., Dec. 22 at 9 p.m., Dec. 23 at 6 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 11:15 p.m.)
Great Christmas Light Fight (Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.)
The Polar Express (Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., Dec. 14 at 5 p.m., Dec. 22 at 11 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 5 p.m.)
The Year Without Santa Claus (Nov. 30 at 5:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 10 p.m.)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., Dec. 11 at 8 p.m., Dec. 12 at 5:45 p.m., Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., Dec. 17 at 8 p.m., Dec. 18 at 5:45 p.m., Dec. 20 at 10 p.m., Dec. 21 at 8 p.m., Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 9 p.m.)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles(Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.)
Miracle on 34th Street (Dec. 5 at 10 p.m., Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Dec. 17 at 10:15 p.m.)
How Murray Saved Christmas(Dec. 13 at 9 p.m.)
Frosty's Winter Wonderland (Dec. 13 at 11:15 p.m.)
Ernest Saves Christmas (Dec. 22 at 4:30 p.m.)

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CBS

Frosty the Snowman (Nov. 29 at 8 p.m.)
Frosty Returns (Nov. 29 at 8:30 p.m.)
Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves on Fire (Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.)
Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe (Nov. 30 at 8:30 p.m.)
The Story of Santa Claus (Nov. 30 at 9 p.m.)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Dec. 2 at 8 p.m.)
I Love Lucy Christmas Special(Dec. 20 at 8 p.m.)
A Home for the Holidays with Idina Menzel (Dec. 22 at 9 p.m.)

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Freeform

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (Dec. 1 at 7 a.m., Dec. 6 at 7:30 a.m., Dec. 14 at 11:55 p.m., Dec. 15 at 9:05 a.m., Dec. 17 at 12:35 p.m., Dec. 18 at 11:05 a.m., Dec. 23 at 8 a.m., and Dec. 25 at 7 a.m.)
Deck the Halls (Dec. 1 at 9:05 a.m., Dec. 2 at 4:15 p.m., Dec. 4 at 12 a.m., Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m., Dec. 10 at 4:10 p.m., Dec. 11 at 11 a.m., Dec. 15 at 1:20 p.m., Dec.16 at 7 a.m., Dec. 19 at 12:30 p.m., Dec. 20 at 11 a.m., Dec. 23 at 10 a.m., and Dec. 25 at 12 a.m.)
Arthur Christmas (Dec. 1 at 11:10 a.m., Dec. 5 at 4:35 p.m., Dec. 6 at 1:35 p.m., Dec. 10 at 6:15 p.m., Dec. 11 at 1:10 p.m., Dec, 14 at 9 a.m., Dec. 15 at 7 a.m., Dec. 20 at 11:55 p.m., Dec. 21 at 9:40 a.m., Dec. 23 at 2:05 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 11:30 a.m.)
The Simpsons Holiday-thon (Dec. 1 at 1:15 p.m., Dec. 3 at 12 a.m., Dec. 4 at 2 p.m., Dec. 10 at 12 a.m., Dec. 11 at 3:20 p.m., Dec. 14 at 11 a.m., Dec. 17 at 12 a.m., Dec. 18 at 1:10 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 12 a.m.)
The Santa Clause (Dec. 1 at 2:45 p.m., Dec. 6 at 9:30 p.m., Dec. 7 at 12 p.m., Dec. 12 at 6:50 p.m., Dec. 13 at 12:30 p.m., Dec. 15 at 7:45 p.m., Dec. 16 at 4:50 p.m., Dec. 21 at 5:05 p.m., Dec. 22 at 10:15 a.m., Dec. 24 at 1:30 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.)
The Santa Clause 2 (Dec. 1 at 4:50 p.m., Dec. 6 at 11:30 p.m., Dec. 7 at 2:05 p.m., Dec. 12 at 8:55 p.m., Dec. 13 at 2:35 p.m., Dec. 15 at 9:50 p.m., Dec. 16 at 6:55 p.m., Dec. 21 at 7:10 p.m., Dec. 22 at 12:25 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 3:35 p.m.)
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (Dec. 1 at 6:55 p.m., Dec. 7 at 4:10 p.m., Dec. 8 at 2:05 p.m., Dec. 13 at 4:40 p.m., Dec. 14 at 2 p.m., Dec. 15 at 11:55 p.m., Dec. 16 at 11 a.m., Dec. 19 at 2:35 p.m., Dec. 20 at 1 p.m., Dec. 21 at 11:55 p.m., and Dec. 22 at 2:35 p.m.)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) (Dec. 1 at 9 p.m., Dec. 2 at 6:20 p.m., Dec. 5 at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 6 at 5:20 p.m., Dec. 10 at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 11 at 5:20 p.m., Dec. 14 at 9:15 p.m., Dec. 15 at 5:05 p.m., Dec. 18 at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 19 at 4:40 p.m., Dec. 21 at 9:15 p.m., Dec. 22 at 4:40 p.m., Dec. 23 at 9:20 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 5:40 p.m.)
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (Dec. 1 at 11:30 p.m., Dec. 2 at 12 p.m., Dec. 9 at 2:10 p.m., Dec. 10 at 7:30 a.m., Dec. 13 at 11:55 p.m., and Dec. 14 at 7 a.m.)
The Little Drummer Boy (1968) (Dec. 1 at 1:30 a.m., Dec. 2 at 7 a.m., Dec. 6 at 1:30 a.m., Dec. 21 at 7 a.m., Dec. 22 at 12:30 a.m., and Dec. 24 at 7 a.m.)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (Dec. 2 at 7:30 a.m.)
Wrap Battle (Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., Dec. 5 at 11 a.m., Dec. 7 at 1 a.m., Dec. 8 at 7 a.m., Dec. 9 at 9 p.m., Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.)
Santa Baby (Dec. 3 at 7:30 a.m.)
Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic (Dec. 3 at 1:40 p.m., Dec. 9 at 11 a.m., Dec. 11 at 10 p.m., Dec. 19 at 7:30 a.m. and 1 a.m., and Dec. 22 at 1 a.m.)
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe (Dec. 4 at 7:30 a.m.)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (Dec. 3 at 4:45 p.m., Dec. 4 at 1 p.m., Dec. 20 at 4:40 p.m., Dec. 21 at 11:50 a.m., Dec. 24 at 9:55 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 4:45 p.m.)
Home Alone(Dec. 3 at 5:50 p.m., Dec. 4 at 4 p.m., Dec. 7 at 7:50 p.m., Dec. 8 at 4:10 p.m., Dec. 13 at 6:45 p.m., Dec. 14 at 4:05 p.m., Dec. 17 at 5:50 p.m., Dec. 18 at 3:10 p.m., Dec. 22 at 7:20 p.m., Dec. 23 at 4:10 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 5:50 p.m.)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Dec. 3 at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 7 at 10:20 p.m., Dec. 8 at 6:40 p.m., Dec. 13 at 9:15 p.m., Dec. 14 at 6:35 p.m., Dec. 17 at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 18 at 5:40 p.m., Dec. 22 at 9:50 p.m., Dec. 23 at 6:40 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 8:20 p.m.)
Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas (Dec. 4 at 9 p.m., Dec. 10 at 2:05 p.m., and Dec. 18 at 12 a.m.)
Holiday in Handcuffs (Dec. 5 at 7:30 a.m.)
Kung Fu Panda Holiday(Dec. 5 at 12 p.m., Dec. 6 at 11 a.m., Dec. 8 at 1:30 a.m., Dec. 9 at 4:20 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 11 a.m.)
Unaccompanied Minors (Dec. 5 at 12:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. and Dec. 15 at 11:10 a.m.)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Dec. 5 at 6:40 p.m., Dec. 6 at 3:40 p.m., Dec. 15 at 3:25 p.m., Dec. 16 at 1:05 p.m., Dec. 19 at 7:20 p.m., and Dec. 20 at 3 p.m.)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m., Dec. 7 at 6:45 p.m., Dec. 20 at 6:15 p.m., Dec. 21 at 1:25 p.m., Dec. 24 at 8:50 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 3:40 p.m.)
Home Alone 3 (Dec. 6 at 11:30 a.m., Dec. 7 at 8 a.m., and Dec. 9 at 12 p.m.)
Frosty the Snowman (Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., Dec. 7 at 6:15 p.m., Dec. 20 at 5:45 p.m., Dec. 21 at 12:55 p.m., Dec. 24 at 8:20 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 3:10 p.m.)
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. and Dec. 8 at 8 a.m.)
Same Time, Next Christmas (Dec. 11 at 8 p.m.)
The Perfect Holiday (Dec. 13 at 1:35 p.m.)

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NBC

Ellen's Game of Games holiday special (Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.)
93rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nov. 28 at 9 a.m.)
It's a Wonderful Life (Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 24 at 8 p.m.)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) (Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (Dec. 4 at 8 p.m.)
A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special (Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. and Dec. 23 at 9 p.m.)
A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy (Dec. 12 at 10 p.m.)
DreamWorks Trolls Holiday (Dec. 14 at 8:30 p.m.)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) (Dec. 25 at 8:30 p.m.)
A Toast to 2019!(Dec. 31 at 8 p.m.)

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Hallmark

Christmas Under the Stars (Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.)
Write Before Christmas (Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays (Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.)
Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2 (Nov. 24 at 8 p.m.)
A Christmas Duet(Nov. 25 at 8 p.m.)
Check Inn to Christmas(Nov. 26 at 8 p.m.)
The Christmas Club(Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas at the Plaza (Nov. 28 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy(Nov. 29 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas in Rome(Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas Town (Dec. 1 at 8 p.m.)
A Christmas Love Story(Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas at Dollywood (Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.)
Holiday Date (Dec. 14 at 8 p.m.)
A Cheerful Christmas (Dec. 15 at 8 p.m.)
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.)
Double Holiday (Dec. 22 at 8 p.m.)
When Calls the Heart Christmas (Dec. 25 at 8 p.m.)
New Year, New Me(Dec. 28 at 8 p.m.)

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Lifetime

Christmas a La Mode (Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas in Louisiana (Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.)
Random Acts of Christmas (Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.)
The Magical Christmas Shoes(Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.)
Twinkle All the Way(Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas 9 to 5(Nov. 24 at 8 p.m.)
A Very Vintage Christmas (Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.)
A Christmas Wish(Nov. 28 at 8 p.m.)
Staging Christmas (Nov. 29 at 8 p.m.)
Merry Liddle Christmas (Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.)
You Light Up my Christmas (Dec. 1 at 8 p.m.)
A Storybook Christmas (Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.)
Mistletoe & Menorahs (Dec. 7 at 6 p.m.)
Christmas Unleashed(Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.)
Grounded for Christmas (Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas Stars(Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.)
Matchmaker Christmas (Dec. 14 at 6 p.m.)
A Christmas Winter Song(Dec. 14 at 8 p.m.)
Rediscovering Christmas (Dec.15 at 8 p.m.)
The Christmas Temp(Dec. 20 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas Love Letter (Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.)
Christmas Hotel (Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.)
A Date by Christmas Eve(Dec. 22 at 8 p.m.)

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HBO

Jingle All the Way
Love Actually
Santa Buddies
The Search for Santa Paws

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Showtime

A Bad Moms Christmas
Christmas at the Chateau
The Man Who Invented Christmas
You Better Watch Out

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Starz

Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas
Saving Santa

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Epix

Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas
Daddy's Home 2

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